David Sumner

Grew Up… in the city. David is the prototypical city boy: privileged, sophisticated, and bespectacled. His upbringing has given him a good grasp of the English language and a global perspective, not to mention a skeptical, un-superstitious worldview.

Living… in Los Angeles. David and his wife Amy are fairly wealthy and run in L.A.’s well-to-do creative circles.

Visiting… the deep South. David and Amy have relocated to spend some time at Amy’s childhood home in rural Mississippi. David is working on a script and treats the trip as a writer’s retreat. The property is idyllic yet foreign to David, located beside a beautiful lake and a dense forest. David enjoys the picturesque setting, but finds himself confronted by problems when locals take notice of him.

Profession… screenwriter. The script he’s working on is set during World War II during the fight for Stalingrad. He’s brought various writers’ tools with him to the house, covering rooms with note boards and model houses from 1940’s Russia. David loves his craft and enjoys immersing himself in it, though perhaps to the neglect of his immediate surroundings.

Interests… chess, music, and European sports cars – amongst other cultural pursuits. He loves driving his vintage Jaguar E-type, for which the Southern country roads are perfect. He doesn’t know ‘the outdoors’ and has no experience with firearms, but might be willing to learn while he’s in the countryside.

Relationship Status… married to Amy, Hollywood actress and former country girl. Moving back to Mississippi dredges up Amy’s past in ways that David hadn’t expected. He finds out more and more about his wife, and their relationship, as they spend time in Amy’s daddy’s old house.

Challenge… fighting back when the locals’ harassment turns violent. David isn’t used to having to defend himself physically. He’s used to relying more on his wit and intellect than on his fists. Out of his element, and with his back against the wall, David will now learn what he’s capable of. He vows, “I will not allow violence against this house.”

Personality… cosmopolitan, intelligent, and polite. David doesn’t like to offend anyone and he especially doesn’t like to cause problems. He does, however, have a sense for what belongs to him and what he will and will not put up with. He informs one of the locals that his cat has been killed, making it clear he doesn’t buy that the feline died of natural causes: “Well, generally cats don't hang themselves.” Unfortunately that is closer to the start of David’s problems than the end.